The present invention relates to a bumper for vehicles, and more particularly, for motor vehicles, which is formed by a cross-sectionally U-shaped rigid support and a resilient guard covering it, with the guard resting with approximately horizontally aligned guide bars against parallel legs of the cross-sectionally U-shaped support and interacting in a reinforcing manner with holding fixtures of the support.
A bumper of the aforementioned type has been proposed in DE-OS No. 24 57 676, wherein one guide bar of the guide is received in a hook-like holding fixture of the support in a manner enabling the guide bar to deflect from its normal position in case of unfavorable shock loads acting aginst the guard. The steps then required to return it into the original assembly position are particularly complicated. The other guide bar is attached by means of bolts, resulting in damage being caused by even minor impacts on the guard in the area of its attachment (shearing stress).
A principal object of the present invention, therefore, is to provide for safe and simple assembly of the guard, and for its ability to absorb occurring stresses without damage.
This object is attained, according to a preferred embodiment of the present ivention, by, in addition to providing the resilient guard covering with horizontally aligned guide bars which interact with holding fixtures of a rigid support, providing horizontally-disposed cross bars which protrude beyond the support and are connected to each other by a fastening link.
A principal advantage achieved by the present invention resides in the fact that, by virtue of the bars extending beyond the support, and being connected to each other, simple and safe assembly is made possible, with the guide bars resting functionally, i.e., avoiding shear stresses, against the support and/or its holding fixtures.
These and further objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more obvious from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which show, for purposes of illustration only, a single embodiment in accordance with the present invention.